PZ 3 


. C8842 


COPY 1 


HE GUIDE’S STORY 

A FILIPINO ROMANCE 



HADEN CROUCH _____ 

PRICE 15c. 

For benefit of Div. 538 A. A. of S. E. R. E. of A. 


















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The Guide’s Story 

A FILIPINO ROMANCE 


The Facts Around which this Fiction is Woven 
were gathered up while seeing service in 
the Philippine Islands 


BY 


HADEN CROUCH, 

Elx-Sergeant of the Seventeenth U. S. Infantry 



1910 : 

COLUMBUS, 

OHIO 


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THE GUIDE’S STORY 

A FILIPINO ROMANCE 


D uring the three years that I spent as a soldier 
in the Philippine Islands, I picked up much in- 
formation regarding the different customs and 
religious rites of the wild tribes that inhabit the moun- 
tainous region of the most northern part of Northern 
Luzon. While a Battalion of our Regiment, the Seven- 
teenth Infantry, was stationed at Biambang, in 1900, 
we received word from some friendly natives that Gen- 
eral Macabolis, with several hundred soldiers, had gone 
into camp in the Bulcacon Hills, a chain of steep, rocky 
mountains, about two days’ march from Biambang. We 
set out at once under command of General Smith. We 
reached the mountains just as the sun was setting, and 
only halted long enough to partake of a light supper, then 
on again. After an all night’s climb over rocks, through 
gulleys, and masses of brush and bramble, piloted by a 
native guide, two of our companies reached the place 
where they had been intrenched behind some rocks. The 
other companies had skirted the base of the hills to inter- 
cept them should they go down that way, but while some 
of his men and our two companies were engaged in a stiff 
skirmish. General Macabolis, and the greater part of his 


4 


THE GUIDES STORY 


men got away down the other side of the mountain, the 
other companies not getting around in time to intercept 
them. Just where we had the skirmish, several trails 
converged, so while the rest went on up the hill, I was 
left in command of a detachment to guard the trails. I 
left a part of the detachment on guard and took the rest 
and went down a sort of rocky gully to look for strag- 
glers, and had the good luck to capture General Mon- 
tinegro, the next in command under General Macabolis. 
You may be sure we were very much elated over our 
good luck. All that day we searched among rocks and 
gulleys for more of the enemy, but was disappointed. 
It was a very tired and dilapidated looking lot of soldiers 
that went into camp that night on top of the mountain. 

After supper the boys sat around smoking, and talking 
over the events of the past twenty-four hours. It was 
a beautiful night in early summer; the full moon shed its 
glorious light over the mountain, and such a moon — no 
one who has never seen them, can form an idea of the 
beauty of the nights in those far off isles, when luna 
hangs low in the heavens like a silvery globe, or seems 
to sit, a very queen of night, enthroned upon the top of 
some mountain, while the southern cross flames a path of 
glory all down the southern sky. Tired as I was I was 
filled with a sort of restlessness which was aggravated 
by the monotonous och-you, och-you, the cry of a species 
of lizard that infest the whole island. One of them was 
in the bushes near where I was sitting and kept up its 
everlasting croaking until I could not stand it any longer, 
so I walked away from the camp and rambled on until 
I was halted by one of the guards on outpost. I then 


A FILIPINO ROMANCE 


5 


started to retrace my steps. I had gone part of the way 
when I saw some one standing in the shadow of trees. 
My first thought was that it was some of the enemy that 
had been hidden all day and was now trying to make a 
get-away, but the thought had hardly passed through my 
mind before he turned his head and I saw it was Lope, 
the native that had guided us up the mountain. I had 
seen a great deal of Lope; he had been with us for some 
time, acting as guide and interpreter. He seemed more 
intelligent than most of the guides we came in contact 
with; he spoke Spanish fluently, English fairly well and 
several native dialects. He was no longer young; his 
naturally long raw-boned features were seamed with 
deep lines, and from just below the right eye there ran 
an ugly scar down the cheek in a sort of curve, which 
gave him a fierce kind of look, but all the same, he was 
a pretty good old scout, and when it came to climbing 
mountains, or a brisk march over rice ridges, he could 
wind the best of us. He had always been very polite 
and friendly to me — I had at one time granted him a 
small favor and he had never forgotten it. When I saw 
who it was I spoke to him. 

“Good evening, senor,” he said as he came up to 
me. I sat down on a boulder and he stood beside me. 
Neither of us spoke for some time, then he said softly: 

“Is the senor sad? Does the moonlight bring 
thoughts of the far away home to thy heart?* 

His words brought a lump to my throat and I could not 
answer him for fear of betraying my emotion, for the 
plain truth of the matter was, that I was sufl^ering from 
an intense longing for a sight of home and the loved ones 


6 THE GUIDES STORY 

waiting there for my return. I bowed my head in 
answer. 

“It is even so,” he murmured. “Heart calls to 
heart across the many miles of land and sea; memory is 
the magic mirror wherein we see reflected the faces of 
the absent ones. Love, senor, is a strange thing; it 
sends its message to us in many ways — in the song of a 
bird, the perfume of a flower, or the wild beating of the 
waves, when the storm lashes them to madness. It comes 
from we know not where; its little god will perch upon 
our shoulder and shoot fiery darts at our heart. Be it 
for our joy or our sorrow, the love of friendship is a 
grand thing, but the love that binds a man and woman 
together in bonds that can not be severed by time or 
eternity is grander still. Yes, senor, even I have known 
such love.” 

I was too surprised at the depth of feeling that his 
words displayed, the eloquent expression of such beauti- 
ful sentiments, to do more than sit and stare at him — 
answer him, I could not. 

“You are surprised, senor,” he said, “that 
such as I could know aught of love, but I was 
not always as I am now, an old man, and there 
was a time when I had better looks, but time and 
trouble will cut furrows in the smoothest brow, and hol- 
low out the roundest cheeks ; and then, this scar has given 
me an ill look. No, I am no beauty now, but at one 
time I was not such a monster of ugliness and Dolores 
loved me. Yes, she loved me with a love that was sub- 
lime, but perhaps I tire the senor.” 

No, indeed, I replied, I am glad to have you talk 


A FILIPINO ROMANCE 


7 


to me and I have listened with great pleasure to what 
you have been saying. 

“Senor, I feel that you are indeed a friend, and to 
a friend only could I show the things that my heart holds 
sacred; to whom but a friend can one unburden their 
mind when the thoughts of the past come crowding in 
and the heart cries out for sympathy. Your kindness 
is great, indeed.’* 

That is all right, Lope, I replied. I will be your 
friend, and you can unburden your mind to me when- 
ever you feel inclined to do so. 

“I thank you,” he said. “I have not felt the need of a 
friend for many years as I do tonight, for long ago my 
heart became like a cemetery, wherein lay buried my am- 
bition and all my hopes. Since then I have not cared for 
anything much but followed on where fate led me. Now, 
senor, I feel that the last link in my chain of destiny is 
about to be forged; that I will soon go hence to the 
great beyond and my eyes will behold the hidden glories. 
I will put off this aged form and be as I was when 
Dolores learned to love me, and then she will come again, 
as she did three nights ago, walking down a shining path 
of light, holding out her little hands to me, and those 
little hands will lift me up to the moon valley.” 

Why, Lope, I said, I thought I was homesick and had 
the blues, but you have certainly got a worse case of them 
than I have. You have been dreaming things that has 
unstrung your nerves. I will see the doctor when we 
get back to quarters and get him to give you some medi- 
cine. You must not think of passing out yet a while. 


8 


THE GUIDES STORY 


Why, Lope, old boy, we could not spare you; we need 
your help, so think no more about it. 

“Ah, senor,’* he said, “those words of thine 
are like sweet music to my ears ; it is good to 
know that our work is appreciated, and right glad 
I am of that. I have had the opportunity of 
knowing you and the people of your country and 
proud, too, that I could be of service to them, but friend, 
you do not understand me I see; you think that I have 
been dreaming dreams. No, senor, I am not sick, neither 
have I been troubled with dreams, and don’t think I am 
sad, for the thought that I may soon be reunited with 
Dolores fills my heart with an unutterable joy. But 
tonight I had a longing for some one in whom I could 
confide, some one that could understand the need I felt 
of sharing my thoughts. I know not why I speak thus to 
you, except it be that I feel you are my friend, and then 
you remind me of a friend of my youth, a young Eng- 
lishman, a rare good fellow was Arnold, and a friend 
to trust at all times, ever ready to help with both words 
and deeds; he gave his life for me, senor, for me and 
Dolores, and the memory of that deed lives ever in my 
heart. Would the senor care to hear how he come to 
make such a sacrifice?” 

I would like very much to hear it, I said. I had 
forgotten my own troubles, and was most anxious to 
know who Dolores was and what had happened to poor 
old Lope to unbalance his mind, for I certainly thought 
him a little imbalanced after hearing him talk of seeing 
Dolores come walking down a shining path of light. But 
here is the story as he told it to me, and you can judge 


A FILIPINO ROMANCE 


9 


for yourself if it be the raving of a mad man, or if it 
was really true that there ever existed such a love as that 
which bound him and Dolores — a love that had lived 
in his heart all those years, and kept the image of his lost 
loved one ever before his mind ; a love that lived on even 
beyond the grave, and was strong enough to bridge the 
space of time and make a path over which her spirit 
came to him as he said it had three nights before, walk- 
ing down a shining path of light. 

LOPE’S STORY. 

“I am a Mestizo; my father was a Spaniard, my 
mother a native woman from Marona.^ She was of a 
people somewhat different from the other tribes of the 
island. There are many legends among her people of the 
time when they first came to these islands, some two or 
three hundred years ago; also of a time that goes back 
almost to the beginning of all things. They were moon 
worshipers, and believed that they were the descendants 
of a people that had, when the world was new, inhab- 
ited a sort of celestial place where death was unknown, 
and they lived, so the legends say, in a pleasant valley 
that was watered by many crystal streams and filled with 
beautiful things, such as the eyes of mortal man has 
never looked upon, and over that valley there hung, at 
all times, a silvery moon, shedding a soft radiance all 
about, filling each heart with the light of love, and all 


* See our Islands and their people. 


10 


THE GUIDE'S STORY 


things were in harmony, and the moon was their god, 
and they worshipped it as their giver of life and joy. But 
there came a time, so the legends say, when their god 
became angry at them and hid his face behind dark 
clouds, and there came before them a mighty spirit 
wrapped about with flames and the spirit drove them forth 
from the valley and drew a heavy wall of mist before 
their eyes, so they could no longer look upon the things 
celestial. All was darkness around them, and they were 
sore afraid and cast themselves down and prayed to 
their god to bring them into his presence again, but he 
would not, but after a while he repented somewhat and 
sent a beautiful spirit to them saying, ‘that some time he 
would recall them, but not until they had wandered for 
some time in the land of mist, then by the way of death 
they would come once more to the valley of moonlight.’ 

The legends say that they drifted away from the moon 
valley and wandered over all the earth and some of their 
descendants came to these islands in a great ship of war, 
and they did become Christians and no longer worshipped 
the moon god. I had been raised under the care of an 
uncle, a brother of my mother. He was a padre of the 
Catholic church. Somehow I always believed in those 
old legends, and often when the moon shed a soft lustre 
over the hills, and threw its silvery beams among the 
waving palms, I have been filled with an ecstacy of 
longing for the time when my eyes should behold the 
beauties of the lost moon valley. My uncle, good, 
pious soul, was much concerned for me, and implored 
me to cast from my heart such pagan thoughts. A very 
learned man he was, and good. He had been sent to 


A FILIPINO ROMANCE 


11 


Spain to be educated for a missionary priest. He had 
labored among the heathen for many years, but at the 
time I was with him he was at Manila, and it was there 
that I met the young Englishman who later became the 
friend of my heart. I was about twenty years of age at 
that time. Arnold Travers was his name. His father 
was the owner of a line of vessels that traded between 
England and the islands. Arnold had come out to the 
islands to learn something of the business, but more, I 
think, for the sake of adventure. He wished to learn the 
Spanish, and I was anxious to learn English and so we 
spent much time together, and there grew up between us 
a friendship that bound us together like brothers, even 
when Dolores came into my life, and our very souls were 
bound together by the bonds of a mighty love. 

“Arnold and I were still like brothers; Dolores was 
also a Mestizo. Her mother was a Tagalog and her 
father was Senor Jose Mendeze, a Spaniard. Her 
mother had died of the plague when she, Dolores, was a 
small child. She had lived many years with the good 
sisters of St. Augustine. Her father had lately brought 
her from the convent. We had met and loved each 
other, but her father looked not upon our love with 
favor. He was a villain who loved the good things of 
life, and cared little how they were obtained so that he 
could live on the fatness of things, and have much red 
wine to drink. When I besought him to give Dolores 
to me in matrimony he set as the price of her hand a 
thousand pieces of gold, to be a dowery for himself. I 
could not pay so much and he cursed me and called me 
a pig, and told me Dolores was not for the likes of me. 


12 


THE GUIDES STORY 


but for some Spanish officer, or man of rank, who would 
be willing to pay much money for such rare beauty. 
My uncle, the padre, made him an offer of a fair amount 
but it was not enough and he would not listen to him 
when he made a talk to him in my favor, for look you, 
senor, he cared nothing for priest or church; he forbid 
me to hold speech with Dolores, but we found a way to 
outwit him. With the help of my young friend, many 
is the tricks we played on him. Much deceit and much 
money did Arnold use to draw away the eyes of the old 
villain so that Dolores and I could hold conversation. 
Often he held him at the dice or poured the red wine 
down his rapacious throat. Well, senor, one day he 
enticed him over to Cavite, with the promise of much 
pleasure in the way of a big dinner, wine and dancing 
girls, so thinking we had the day to ourselves, we stole 
away, Dolores and I, down the river in a little boat I 
had of a friend, and a long, sweet day it was. We had 
much happiness of being together, and I told Dolores 
of the legends of my mother’s people, of the valley of 
moonlight, and she, sweet saint, was overcome with fear 
lest I be not Christian, but pagan. She walked away 
from me and stood praying and crossing herself, and 
my heart became as a stone and was heavy with fear, 
lest she would cease to love me, and I cried to her, 
Dolores, Dolores, dost thou no longer love the pagan. 
She gazed upon me with her beautiful eyes, eyes of 
lustrous black, yet soft and tender, and they seemed to 
look into the inermost part of my soul, and read all the 
secret thoughts hidden therein. She begged of me to put 
away from my mind such unchristian thoughts, but when 


A FILIPINO ROMANCE 


13 


I would not promise to do so she was much hurt, and 
cried out out to me ‘that if I loved her to say that I did 
not believe those old legends.* But I only hung my 
head; I could not lie to her and say I did not believe 
them, for I did believe, and do yet, that when we put 
off this form of clay that our souls will pass the wall of 
mist and we will find again the lost moon valley. 

“Then did the tears fall fast from her eyes, and she 
would not speak to me but held silent communion with 
her heart, and I felt as if the life was going from me; 
a numbness crept over me and I fell at her feet. I know 
not what it was that overcome me so, unless it was the 
thought that I had lost Dolores’ love, but the numbness 
soon passed; I came to myself and found Dolores kneel- 
ing by my side calling wildly to all the saints to witness 
that she loved me better than life, and would follow me 
anywhere — to the valley of moonlight or to the valley of 
darkness — if only I would come back to her and for- 
give her. Poor child, she thought I was surely dead. 
Were you ever in love, senor? If so then thou knowesl 
how the words of the loved one will cast our souls down 
to darkness or lift them up to the heights of sublime joy. 
Even so did her words call me back from the dark depths 
of despair. I clasped her close to my heart and we made 
many vows, as lovers will, and with those vows we bound 
our hearts and souls together for all time and eternity, 
and we made promises to each other that the one whose 
soul was first called hence to the great unknown should, 
when the hands of time pointed to the hour of our going, 
come and lead us on to our final abde, be it the Christian’s 
paradise or the pagan’s valley of moonlight, for, ‘after 


14 


THE GUIDES STORY 


all, Lope, dear,’ she said, ‘I think your valley of moon- 
light is only the story of our own beautiful paradise, dif- 
ferently told, for was it not a pleasant valley watered by 
many rivers? and God shed the light of his love over all 
the place.* 1 know not, senor, if it be true or not, but 
this I know, that we noted not the passing of the time 
until the sun was hiding behind the hills, and the evening 
light was falling over the river. We made haste to return 
and our hearts were filled with fear lest Dolores be not 
home before her father returned. It was even so, senor; 
the villain was waiting for us, and an evil time we had. 
He cursed like a very demon and laid violent hands 
upon Dolores. I was blinded with rage and would have 
cut off his head with my bolo, but as I rushed upon 
him Dolores cried out, ‘touch him not, Lope, remember 
he is my father.’ I held my hand and did not slay him. 
Dolores told him she loved me better than all else in 
life, and if we could not wed she would return to the 
convent and never come forth again. Then the evil one 
filled his heart with cunning and he spoke words of 
deceit. He said : 

“If it is true that you can live only for him 
then it were better for me to take him for a son, than 
to have my little Dolores hide those pretty eyes behind a 
convent wall, but I am a poor man, and I had expected 
you to wed some one who could provide for my old age. 
But if you are willing to remain unwed for a year, I will 
then give you to him. You are both over young to wed, 
and then, Lope has yet to make a business for himself.’ 
Dolores was mad with joy; she embraced her father with 
much tenderness, but I was not so overcome with joy, for 


A FILIPINO ROMANCE 


15 


I had seen through the blackness of his soul and knew 
that he was not to be trusted. Yes, there was an evil 
light in the old villain’s eyes and I felt in my heart that it 
was only lies that he spoke to gain time to work out some 
wicked plan of his own, but for a while all things went 
well with us. 

As I could speak the English language pretty 
well I was taken on as interpreter at the ware- 
house belonging to Arnold’s father. I was very happy. 
I counted the days as they came and went, and the time 
drew near when I should claim my bride. Eight 
months of the year had gone by ; light was my heart, and 
high my hopes; then came a time when I was sent down 
the coast to where Senor Travers had a trading post. 
My heart was heavy with the thought of parting from 
Dolores, but as I would only be gone for ten days or so, 
I laughed my sorrow down and told my sweet one, when I 
bid her good bye, that I would bring her many pretty 
presents to be used as wedding finery. Senor Mendeze 
was in a happy mood. He bid me a kindly good bye, 
and also borrowed a little money from me. The days 
came and passed by; my heart was filled with songs of 
joy. There came no premonition of the dark cloud that 
was about to fall upon me and blot out forever the joy 
of living. Upon the tenth day from my parting with 
Dolores, I returned home and made haste to fly to my 
love, but there was no loved one to greet me. She was 
gone. Yes, senor, my sweet Dolores was gone. The 
woman with whom they had been lodging told me that 
there had been much scolding and angry talking from the 
Senor Mendeze, and that poor Dolores had wept much. 


16 


THE GUIDE'S STORY 


They had gone, so she understood, to one of the north- 
ern provinces to take up some work that had been offered 
to the senor. They had been gone four days. There 
had been a packet left for me. She handed it to me and 
I walked away, but I knew not where my steps were 
leading me. I was like unto one who walks in his sleep, 
so dazed was I. On and on I went until I came to the 
river. I sat down and opened the packet and tried to 
read the words Dolores had written. Her father, she 
said, had been offered the post of scribano or secretary 
to an old friend of his, and so they had gone on to take 
up the work offered by Don Miguel Anglar, who held 
a high office in the province of Bantang and had his 
quarters at San Luca. Her father had found it nec- 
essary to start at once, and had insisted upon her going 
with him. She had begged of him to leave her with 
some one in Manila until I should return and wed her, 
but he became very angry and declared it was not to be 
thought of; that he should not leave her any place with- 
out his protection; that she owed obedience to him, her 
father, and if she would not obey him as a daughter 
should he would part us forever. But if she would go 
with him and obey him, he swore upon the crucifix, that 
when the year was up he would bring her down and we 
should wed. 

“ ‘And Lope, dear, what could I do? It is 
true the law of the land and the church bids me yield 
obedience unto my father. Dear love, you will under- 
stand by the anguish of thine own heart, what this parting 
means to me. Since my father told me yesterday that I 
must go with him I have stretched out my hands to you 


A FILIPINO ROMANCE 


17 


a hundred times and called to you, but you can not come 
to me. If I could only look upon your face once more 
and feel the warm clasp of your hand it would give me 
courage, but you are not here, and ere the sun rises to- 
morrow we will start upon our journey and I feel as tho 
I was about to tread the path that leads to death, but 
my heart I leave with you. No other love have I ever 
known, and, dear one, if aught should happen to prevent 
our meeting again in this world, remember I have sworn 
to love even beyond the grave, and I pray that my love 
may be the guiding star of thy life, that will lead thee 
on and on until we meet again. Farewell, dear love; 
think often of your broken-hearted Dolores. I can write 
no more for the tears are falling from my eyes like rain. 
My father has just come in and bids me tell you he will 
send you some word when we reach San Luca.’ 

“I went home to my uncle’s house. I felt 
the need of his advice and sympathy, but again 
the fates were against me — he was away conduct- 
ing a retreat at one of the convents, so I went to 
my friend Arnold and laid bare to him my 
heart’s bitterness, and he held my hands and spoke 
words of encouragement to me and the burden of my 
sorrow became somewhat lighter. It was Arnold who 
proposed that we should go to San Luca. I did not 
believe that Senor Mendeze would bring Dolores back to 
me, for Don Miguel Anglar was a widower, a fat old 
pig, but he had much money and I had no doubt but 
what Senor Mendeze intended to use Dolores* youth and 
beauty to trap him into matrimony with her, and so get 
a large dowery for himself. In a fortnight we were all 


18 


THE GUIDES STORY 


ready, and in the cool of the evening we set forth, our 
intentions were to travel all night and lay by during the 
day, and so avoid the extreme heat. There was in the 
party Arnold, myself and Jasper Blogget, an old sailor 
who had been for many years in the employ of Senor 
Travers, Arnold’s father. He had been working on 
one of the boats that run along the coast to the differ- 
ent trading posts. He was anxious to see some of the 
inland parts of the island and, like Arnold, was in high 
spirits over the adventure. They were both hoping that 
something exciting would happen. Little any of us 
thought how soon their wishes were to be granted. No 
premonition came to us of the torture we were about to 
undergo, of the horrors our eyes were soon to behold; 
no warning voice spoke to our hearts of the grotto of 
the gods, the pit of flame, or the cave of death. We 
set forth on stout ponies, well armed, and our saddle 
bags packed with provisions. 

“We were going to Bong-a-Bong, and then over to 
the Cagayan river, up which we intended to travel by 
some of the native boats that had brought down loads 
of hemp and was going back empty. Nothing of any 
importance happened until we reached the Cagayan 
river. We soon found a boatman that was willing to 
take us up the river in his boat. San Luca was in the 
province of a civilized tribe of natives, but just above 
them the country was inhabited by a wild tribe — they 
were cannibals and did eat the bodies of their victims 
and hang the heads upon bamboo poles about their huts. 
They had many gods, and when the juju tree was bud- 
ding out they made much sacrifice to their gods; they 


A FILIPINO ROMANCE 


19 


made war upon other tribes and took many captives, 
and woe be to the white traveler that would cross their 
path at such a time, as a white man’s head was thought 
to be a potent charm to drive away evil spirits, and, too, 
they liked to eat the white man’s flesh. They would 
lie in wait about the passes in the hills, or in lonely 
places along the river ready to pounce upon whom- 
soever might pass that way. They were devils, incar- 
nate, and had no fear of anyone. Only a few years 
before they had come down the river in their ceuioes to 
within a few miles of San Luca and carried off a party 
of Spaniards that chanced to be upon the river when 
night came on. Only one escaped with his life. A 
company of Spanish soldiers that was sent out after 
them were all massacred, and their heads cut off. Our 
boatman told us that he would be glad of our company, 
as he was afraid to travel in a small party, for the 
^Gadanese was making war up the Ibancs. He had 
seen several smaJl parties of Gadanese as he came down 
the river, but as there had been a number of boats com- 
ing down together they had not molested them, but had 
made a pretense of fishing. His words caused me to 
feel very anxious, not on our own account, but for the 
safety of Dolores. I thought the morning would never 
come when we were to start up the river. There were 
several boats going up the river to points near San Luca, 
so we all traveled together, and there was quite a large 
party of us. It took eight days to run up to San Luca, 
and eight long days they seemed to me. The others 


See our Islands and their people. 


20 


THE GUIDE'S STORY 


enjoyed the beautiful scenery along the river cind as 
nothing happened to cause us any fear there was no 
reason why we should not have been happy, but I was 
under a dark cloud of despondency, and try as I would, 
I somehow could not free myself from it. The wind 
among the palms sounded like a requiem over dead 
hopes; the ripple of the water, the rustle of the reeds 
and the cry of the night birds all seemed like spirit voices 
calling in mournful accents the name of Dolores. 

“As we had seen nothing of the Gadanese while 
coming up the river we were less anxious on that point, 
and when we reached San Luca I felt lighter of heart 
and thought only of seeing my love. We went to a 
native inn, and after putting on some clean apparel and 
refreshing ourselves with a good supper and a bottle of 
excellent wine, we set forth for Don Miguel’s. We soon 
reached his home and requested an interview, but the 
servant who had admitted us and took our message re- 
turned and said that Don Miguel was ill and in great 
trouble and could not see us until the morrow. I was 
so disappointed at the thought of not seeing Dolores 
that evening that I could not go away without making 
one more effort, so I wrote a few words in Spanish, 
telling Don Miguel that we were close friends of Senor 
Mendeze and very anxious to see him, and asked him 
to kindly inform us where he might be found. I gave 
the note to the servant and told him to take it to his 
master. He returned in a few moments and asked us 
to wait upon Don Miguel in his bedroom, as he was too 
ill to come to us. As soon as he had greeted us he 
asked in Spanish what we knew of Senor Mendeze. I 


A FILIPINO ROMANCE 


21 


was surprised at the question, but answered that we had 
known the senor for many years, and that his daughter 
was my promised wife; that he had started with Dolores, 
several weeks before, for San Luca to take a situation 
under Don Miguel, and I, being absent at the time they 
left Manila, was very anxious to see them again and 
had come to San Luca for that purpose. 

“ ‘It is true,” answered Don Miguel, ‘that I was 
expecting Senor Mendeze to take up some work with me, 
but he said nothing about his daughter. It is true he 
did say in his last writing to me that he had a pleasant 
surprise in store for me. And this daughter, was she 
young and good to look upon? Was she dark like her 
mother?’ 

‘‘ ‘No,’ I said, ‘she was as white as her father, and 
young and very beautiful, and as I said before, she was 
my promised wife.’ 

‘‘ ‘Ah, just so,’ he mused; ‘young and beautiful,’ 
and the fat old pig lay back among his pillows and 
half closed his pigish eyes. I was tempted to strike him 
dead. 

‘‘ ‘Don Miguel,’ I cried, ‘if Senor Mendeze and his 
daughter are not here and you know aught of them 
pray tell me at once, for I have been very anxious re- 
garding their safety. There is much talk of the savages 
making war upon the natives of this province.’ 

‘‘ ‘Yes,’ he said, ‘it is now the time of year when 
they offer up sacrifice to their gods, and they are out 
looking for human victims. Now listen, young man; I 
fear I have evil news for you. My servant told you I 
was ill and in trouble. Well, it was this same Senor 


22 


THE GUIDES STORY 


Mendeze that caused my mind to be troubled. Nothing 
certain, you understand, but as I was expecting him 
about that time, there might have been a chance of its 
being him, but until you spoke of the daughter I had 
hoped that it was not him. A pest upon him,’ he cried. 
‘Why coiJd he not have said he had a daughter cind 
was bringing her up with him. Then I should have 
sent an escort for them. Well, if his head now hangs 
before the hut of a savage priest it serves him right for 
being a fool.’ 

“ ‘For the love of all the gods,’ I cried, ‘what mean 
you?’ 

“ ‘I mean this,’ he said. ‘Three days ago a native 
that had been up the river in his canoe stopped here and 
told of having seen the savages along the river some 
miles above here. He said that he had seen a barge 
on which were three native barge men, also a white 
man and a young white girl. The barge was putting 
in to shore not far from where he had seen the savages. 
He had shouted a warning to them and paddled on as 
fast as he could. He had looked back and saw that 
they were already in the hands of the savages. Knowing 
he could not help them he had hurried on lest he too 
should be taken by them. I was expecting Senor 
Mendeze, and naturally my thoughts turned to him, but 
he had said nothing of bringing a woman with him.’ 

“ ‘But,’ I cried, ‘you surely sent out a party to look 
for them?’ 

“ ‘No,’ he said, ‘I was not certain it was him, and 
then, too, this being the time of tax collection my soldiers 


A FILIPINO ROMANCE 23 

are all out through the province doing escort duty to 
the collectors.* 

‘ ‘But now that you know it must have been him 
you will surely try to rescue him?’ 

“ ‘Boy,’ he said, ‘you talk foolish; even if the sol- 
diers were all here there would be no chance of rescue. 
It has been three days since he was taken and it would 
be at least three days more before we could reach the 
nearest Gadanese village. They would be killed and 
eaten before that time. No, it is no use now; it is too 
late; besides, I have no one to send.’ 

“ ‘But you will see that we have someone to guide 
us?’ said Arnold, who could understand Spanish well 
enough to catch the drift of our talk. 

“ ‘No,’ he answered, ‘I will do nothing so foolish, 
for, hark you, young man, I know this part of the 
country and its people, and I know that it is now too 
late to save them, and I advise you not to risk your own 
lives in a foolish and vain attempt.’ 

“Senor, his words filled me with anger, so cold and 
heartless they sounded. I cursed him in Spanish and 
called him a pig. Arnold grabbed me by the arm and 
forced me out of the room, and in my madness I struck 
at him, my best friend, but he finally got me away from 
Don Miguel’s house, and then he did chide me for 
giving way to my anger just when I should be calm 
and sensible. His words quieted me and we consulted 
together, the three of us, to see what we should do. 
Jasper thought, as had Don Miguel, that it would be 
useless to attempt a rescue after so long a time, ‘but,’ 
said he, ‘if you think best to try it I am with you until 


24 


THE GUIDE'S STORY 


death.’ I happened to think of hearing some say that 
the Gadanese only offered up their sacrifice when the 
moon was at the full, and it would not be full for four 
days yet. I told Arnold and Jasper that I could not 
expect them to risk their lives in my behalf. Jasper 
only laughed in his quiet way, but Arnold fired up and 
asked me if I thought him a coward. So I said no 
more, but thanked them and we struck the hands of 
friendship, and my heart went out to them in gratitude, 
and I loved them more than ever. Arnold said that 
only cowards would hesitate to make an effort to find 
out if it was Senor Mendeze and Dolores who had been 
taken prisoners. 

“We bought some provisions, a few bottles of wine, 
and a flask of good brandy. We each had two good 
revolvers and plenty of ammunition. Arnold had a large 
hunting knife and I had my bolo. We also bought 
each of us a water bottle or canteen, such as the Spanish 
soldiers have. After we had everything packed and 
ready we made inquiry as to the route we should take 
that would bring us to the nearest Gadanese village, but 
we got very little information. Some thought the best 
way would be to go up the river and then strike across 
the country to the hills. Everyone warned us against 
going near the Gadanese at that time of year. We tried 
to get some one to guide us, but no one was willing to 
go with us. We finally found an old man who told 
us that years ago he had been out with a hunting party. 
They had gone up to the hills to hunt the wild goat 
and had come one night close enough to a Gadanese 
village to see the light of their fires. They had turned 


A FILIPINO ROMANCE 


25 


back at once and had made their way down a sort of 
ravine that looked as if it had been, at one time, the 
bed of a creek. They traveled down this ravine all 
night and in the morning had passed a place where the 
sides of the ravine was very high and straight up, like 
a wall, and all over the wall hung masses of grego vines. 
A short distance from that place they had come to 
where a spring was gushing up among the rocks. They 
were very tired and after they had filled their bottles 
at the spring they decided to go back and crawl in behind 
those vines and sleep a few hours. They had been 
much surprised to discover a little cave behind the vines; 
it was dry and cool and the bottom was covered with 
fine white sand. They had remained there all day and 
felt secure, as there was no evidence that anyone had 
ever been there before. He gave us some directions and 
we set forth. 

“Luck was with us, for on the second morning we 
came to the spring. It was filled up with sticks and 
moss. We cleaned it out the best we could and the 
water soon bubbled up clear and cool. We soon had 
our bottles filled and then refreshed ourselves by bathing 
our faces in the cold water. After a short while we 
went on looking for the wall of rock and the cave behind 
the vines. We soon came to the place; there was such 
a mass of vines we could hardly creep in behind them, 
but we finally found the entrance to the cave. It was 
as the old man told us — cool and dry. We rested and 
refreshed our tired bodies with food and wine ; we 
longed to lay down on the white sand to sleep a while, 
but as the moon was now coming to the full, we thought 


26 


THE GUIDES STORY 


we had better go on and get as near to the village as 
we could. It was hard traveling over the rocks in the 
ravine and we were worn out for want of sleep. Each 
article we carried had become a burden to us, so we 
made up our minds to leave most of the things in the 
cave. We took only a small portion of the provisions; 
we also left the wine and brandy. We went on up the 
ravine until the shadows of night were fcJling around us. 
By that time we were so completely worn out that we 
could no longer keep upon our feet. We crawled in 
behind some rocks and went to sleep. For me it was 
a night of dreams, fantastic monsters chased each other 
around me, and I dreamed that I heard the voice of 
Dolores calling to me, ‘Lope, Lope; come and save me!* 
I cried out that I was coming, then I woke up and saw 
it was day — the sun was just peeping up over the crest 
of the hills and over me there hung the most fiendish 
and diabolical face ever seen outside of the pits of 
Hades. A black, distorted face, with thick lips turned 
back showing long gleaming teeth, white and sharp, 
like a jackals. I cried out in fright and sprang to my 
feet. I then saw that we were in the midst of a dozen 
or more of the hideous devils; resistance was useless. 
They took away our knives, revolvers and ammunition, 
and the most of our clothing; then they grabbed hold of 
us and set off up the ravine. We were stiff and lame, 
our feet were bruised and blistered from walking over 
the sharp rocks, but they showed us no mercy. After 
dragging us up the ravine for about two miles they came 
to a cave or grotto in the side of the hill. Into this they 
dragged us and left us bound hand and foot with bejuca 


A FILIPINO ROMANCE 


27 


rope, and, Senor, to this day I almost faint when I 
think of the horrors of that place. But just then I was 
so weak and tired that I cared very little what became 
of me. It Wcis cool in the cave and I soon fell asleep. 
I must have slept for several hours. It was not yet 
midday when I went to sleep, and now it was evening. 
The opening of the grotto was to the west and I could 
see from where I lay the setting sun, like a huge ball 
of fire, sinking down behind a bank of purple clouds. 
For some moments I lay watching it in a drowsy sort 
of way, for the sleep was still heavy upon me and I 
did not realize where I was. Then the events of the 
past twenty-four hours came rushing through my mind 
and I remembered where I was. I struggled to a sitting 
posture; I could not rise to my feet, for my legs were 
bound at the knees and ankles. I could see nothing of 
Arnold or Jasper, and I cursed myself for sleeping like 
a pig while they, perchance, had been massacred. I 
was in such agony at the thought that I groaned eJoud. 
Just then I heard a hist breathed softly in the darkness 
behind me; at the same time there came a sound like 
some one moving in a stealthy manner over the floor of 
the cave. Again came the hist; this time much nearer 
to me, then the voice of Arnold whispering in English 
for me to lay down and work myself back a little so 
that my head would be in the shadows. I worked 
myself close to Arnold. 

“ ‘Now listen,’ he whispered, ‘and no matter what 
you hear, make no outcry, for our very lives and the 
lives of others depend upon our calmness, for I am sure 
there are others besides ourselves held captive in this 


28 


THE GUIDE'S STORY 


cave, and now lay still and listen, and if the guard 
comes in pretend that you are still sleeping.’ 

“I listened for some time but no sound reached my 
ears except that of our own breathing and the loud beat- 
ing of my heart; then I heard a sort of moaning sound. 
I could not tell at first from whence it came, or what 
it was, but as it grew louder I could make out that it 
came from the back of the cave. It sounded like the 
sobbing of a child. I raised my head and looked at 
Arnold, but he whispered to me to keep quiet. Then 
I heard two words spoken low but distinctly. It was 
by a great effort that I kept from crying out, for they 
were the very words that I had heard in my dreams as 
I slept behind the rock. It was Dolores calling my 
name in soft supplicating tones: ‘Lope, Lope!’ I tried 
to cry out to her but I was so overcome with horror 
now that I realized beyond a doubt that she was in 
the hands of those painted fiends that I could not speak. 
My words seemed to come up in my throat and choke 
me. Arnold was whispering something to me but I 
could not understand what he was saying, for he was 
rolling away from me, but I heard voices at the entrance 
of the cave, then everything seemed to grow dark and 
all things faded from my mind. 

“When I came to myself again I was outside of the 
cave. The cool evening air revived me somewhat and 
I looked around for the others. They were lying on 
the ground a short distance from where I lay. I thought 
our time had surely come. There were quite a number 
of the savages, both men and women. They crowded 
up close to Arnold and Jasper but paid very little atten- 


A FILIPINO ROMANCE 


29 


tion to me. Poor old Jasper was old and grim and not 
much to look upon, but they seemed to be much taken 
with Arnold, the women especially. They looked with 
wonder at his blue eyes and long silky yellow hair. 
Some of them went up to him and touched, with their 
fingers, the soft fair flesh of his arms and shoulders, and 
some of them pulled a few of the golden hairs from his 
head and seemed to think them valuable charms or 
amulets. Several of the head men were holding council 
together and after much talk they gave some orders and 
two of the women went away, returning in a short time 
with some bread cakes made from the sago palm, and 
also some goat’s milk, which they gave us. From the 
few words that I could understand of their dialect they 
did not intend to put us to death just then, but intended 
us for some other time of celebration not far distant. 
So they gave us food that we might not die before they 
were ready to sacrifice us. They put the food to our 
lips but Arnold pretended he could not eat that way 
and made signs to them to unbind our hands, and this 
they finally did, standing close around us with their 
spears raised ready to strike us if we tried to escape. 
Arnold gave me a look and I understood the meaning 
of it. There had been of my mother’s people an old 
man who did tricks of magic. He had taught many 
of them to me when I was a little chap, and I had often 
helped him work them. One of the tricks was to hold 
my hands in such a way that no matter who bound 
them I could always free myself. I had often worked 
the old trick for Arnold. I had been so drunken with 
sleep when the savages had dragged me from behind 


30 


THE GUIDE'S STORY 


the rocks and bound me that no thought of it had come 
to my mind, but now that Arnold’s look had recalled it 
to me I was determined to try it, not that my hopes of 
escaping were very great, but then life is sweet and 
there was Dolores to think of. The twilight was fast 
fading away, giving place to the dark shadows of night; 
the number of savages had increased until the whole 
plateau in front of the cave was swarming with them. 
They lighted a number of large torches that was made 
of bunches of dry wild hemp fastened to tall stakes 
driven into the ground. As fast as one burned away 
others were fastened up and lighted. A most fearsome 
sight it now was that we looked upon. With the light- 
ing of the torches the savages had commenced to dance 
and blow upon horns of some kind, and beat upon 
tomtoms. They went leaping and whirling about in the 
wavering, flickering light of the torches. Some of them 
were armed with long bolos and others with huge spears, 
their ugly tattooed faces wearing a most fiendish look; 
their eyes glowed like coals of fire. I became sick and 
faint with apprehension. I felt sure that when they had 
worked themselves up to the highest pitch of fenzy some 
of us would fall a victim to their lust of blood, and 
there was Dolores, perchance she was even now bound 
and ready for the sacrifice. Just opposite the cave on 
the other side of the ravine were a number of nipa huts. 
I had noticed them while it was still light. All at once 
the dancing and noise ceased, the women fell to the 
ground and the men stood with their arms raised above 
their heads, their spears and bolos pointing skyward. 
There came an unearthly wailing call from the horns; 


A FILIPINO ROMANCE 


31 


three times it sounded, now moaning like a stricken deer 
or shrieking out a defiance to heaven, then dying away 
like the last agonizing pleading of a lost soul. 

“While the horns were sounding the last call a dozen 
or more of the savages grabbed up torches and ran 
down the hill and across the ravine in the direction of 
the huts. Midway between them and the ravine they 
put the torches to a huge pile of brush and wood, and 
as the flames leaped up there was an exultant yell from 
the savages ; several of them laid hold of us and dragged 
us into the cave and threw us in a heap in one corner. 
The others had brought in the torches and ranged them- 
selves in a circle around some object in the center of 
the place. Again the horns sounded, this time like the 
howling of hungry hyenas. The women shrieked and 
howled with them, then all except the torch bearers ^uld 
the highpriest prostrated themselves upon the ground, and 
we saw in the center of the cave a most hideous looking 
idol. The body was like that of a large ape, but the 
head! — never, Senor, was there anything like it. It was 
like unto that of the buffalo, inasmuch as it had wide- 
spreading horns and great, round, glowing eyes, but the 
jaws were long like the jaws of a shark, with great rows 
of gleaming teeth. At its feet was a long table or altar 
of stone, heaped up with branches of the juju tree. 
There were clusters of the same around its body and 
head. While the priest chanted and the horns sounded 
a mournful refrain two of the savages walked to the 
back of the cave. My heart gave a great thump and 
then seemed to stand still. I could hear the heavy 
breathing of Arnold and Jasper, for they, like myself. 


32 


THE GUIDES STORY 


believed Dolores was to be the victim. When they 
returned bearing a body between them I could feel the 
blood curdle in my veins. Everything grew dim before 
me; the faintness soon passed; I opened my eyes and 
saw the body of Senor Mendeze lying upon the altar. 
The head had been severed from the body and was set 
between the jaws of the idol. The blood was dripping 
down, the women were catching the drops as they fell. 
It was the most sickening thing I ever saw. They 
seemed to be in a perfect frenzy, holding up their hands 
to catch the red drops. They would then smear it over 
their own and each others’ faces. The priest was catch- 
ing that which run from the neck and was sprinkling it 
over the men. They became frenzied and danced and 
howled and licked the blood from their fingers. Several 
of them rushed upon the body and I expected to see 
them tear it to pieces and devour it, but they grabbed it 
up and dashed out of the cave, followed by the whole 
horde of shrieking fiends. One of them as he ran by 
reached up and impaled the head upon his spear, and 
I have no doubt but that it hung for many a day before 
his hut. Two or three of the torches had fallen to the 
ground but were still burning and we could see that all 
but one of the savages had gone. He was standing 
at the entrance of the cave looking with sullen longing 
in the direction of the bonfire. 

’‘Arnold rolled close to me and whispered, ‘Now is 
the time to make an effort to get away.’ I was so weak 
that I doubted much if I could free my hands, but 
Arnold kept whispering that our own and Dolores’ life 
depended on my releasing myself and them, until with 


A FILIPINO ROMANCE 


33 


the strength of desperation I managed to slip my hands 
from the bejuco rope that bound them. All of the skin 
and much of the flesh went with the rope. Senor, you 
can see that this hand is not as large as the other one. 
I soon had my limbs free and in a few seconds had the 
others unbound. We found that we could not stand 
upon our feet until we rubbed our limbs, so numb and 
lifeless were they. Now that we were unbound, how 
were we to find Dolores and get by the sentinel? But 
Jasper said he would take care of that gentleman. 
There was lying not far from us one of the torch stakes. 
It had been cut from a live ebony tree and was as heavy 
and hard as iron. He crawled over until he could reach 
it. We all laid down again and Jasper commenced to 
groan. In a few moments the sentinel heard him and 
came running back to us. Jasper kept moaning like he 
was in great pain; the savage muttered some words and 
stooped over him and before he could straighten up 
Jasper hit him such a blow on the head that we could 
hear the bones crack and he fell to the ground dead. 

“It was now my turn to act. I being dark colored 
there was not so much danger in my going to the 
entrance of the cave to reconnoiter. The fire across the 
ravine had died down to a mass of red hot embers, and 
I could see them placing some object over them. I 
became sick and faint for a moment, for I knew the 
body of Senor Mendeze was about to furnish their feast, 
but I dare not think of it. There was no one in sight 
on our side of the ravine, so I ran back and we started 
to look for Dolores. We went back to where we 
thought she was when we heard her voice. We soon 


34 


THE GUIDES STORY 


came upon her. She was lying on the ground at the 
back of the cave. I picked her up and carried her to 
the entrance of the cave. I knew not if she was living 
or dead, but she was warm and Arnold thought she had 
fainted from fright at the noise. He said we must 
hurry away before we were discovered. We would try 
to creep to some bushes that were about a hundred feet 
from the entrance. We thought if we could make our 
way back to the place where we had left our provisions 
and ammunition we could stay there for several days 
and rest up. We were about to start — I had picked 
Dolores up and was going to bind her to me so I could 
carry her as I crawled across the plateau to reach the 
bushes, but thought I had better see if the way was 
clear for us. It was well I did, for as I looked I saw that 
two of the savages had crossed the ravine and were 
coming direct to the cave. I ran back to the others and 
told them to get back out of sight, which they did, 
taking Dolores with them. As the savages entered the 
cave I walked towards the back part of it. It was 
evident that they thought I was the guard, for one of 
them came walking towards me, talking as he came. I 
did not turn around but walked on until I was well back 
in the shadows. When he came up to me he was still 
talking. As he came close behind me I turned and 
sprang upon him like a beast of prey. I clutched his 
throat with both hands and his words died away in a 
gurgling moan. But before I could strangle the life 
out of him he slashed at me with his bolo. I felt a 
stinging pain in the side of my face; he had laid open my 
cheek, and that is how I came by this scar that has made 


A FILIPINO ROMANCE 


35 


me so ugly to look upon. I heard a scuffle in the front 
of the cave and knew that Arnold and Jasper were in 
combat with the other savage. He cried out once or 
twice, but not very loud. Then I heard the cracking 
of his skull and and knew the torch stake had done its 
work well. I ran back to them but not before I had 
picked up the bolo that had fallen from the hands of 
the brute I had choked to death, and to make sure he 
woiJd not revive I drove the knife to his heart again 
and again. I found that Arnold had received a slight 
spear wound in the shoulder; he declared it was nothing 
and bid us make haste to leave the cave before any 
more of the savages came across the ravine. I picked 
up Dolores and we crawled out of the cave. I gave the 
bolo to Arnold to carry. He had also the spear that 
had wounded him; Jasper still clutched the torch stake. 
In the west the sky was overcast with dark clouds, and 
there came a low rumble of thunder. The savages were 
moving about the pit of fire, and the wind brought to 
our nostrils the smell of burning flesh. We made the 
distance from the cave to the bushes in safety, then we 
ran and stumbled on the best we could. I was weak 
and exhausted, and Dolores was a dead weight in my 
arms. I tried to shield her body, but she, as well as 
ourselves, received painful scratches from the bushes 
through which we ran. We finally reached the ravine 
and stopped to listen and regain our breath a little, for 
we were pretty well winded by that time. 

“Senor, you have seen the suddenness and severity 
of the storms that sweep over these islands. We had 
rested only a short time when the wind commenced to 


36 


THE GUIDE'S STORY 


blow a gale, deep peals of thunder rolled and echoed 
among the hills. Arnold was nervous and covered his 
eyes with his hands to shut out the glare of the light- 
ning. An old sailor, like Jasper, was used to storms 
and it had little effect on his nerves. To me there had 
ever been something exhilirating about a storm, and as 
the wind went sweeping down the ravine I could feel 
the blood go tingling through my veins, and the rain as 
it splashed and pattered down on our tired and half- 
naked bodies revived us somewhat. We moved onward 
at a faster pace and reached the rocks behind which 
we were sleeping when the savages came upon us, but 
we did not stop. The rain was by that time coming 
down in torrents and the ravine was filling with water. 
Arnolds shoulder had commenced to pain him and the 
wound in my cheek burned like fire; Jasper insisted ui>on 
taking turns with me in bearing Dolores. The water 
in the ravine had risen until it was up to our knees. We 
were becoming exhausted, but still stumbled on. Our 
one chance of safety lay in reaching the little cave be- 
hind the vines before daylight. Once there, we could 
rest for a while. We did not think the savages would 
follow us, as they would think that searching parties 
would be sent out to look for us, and then, too, they 
would be satisfied for the present with the feast they 
had just partaken of, besides being weary from dancing 
and yelling all night. 

“Well, senor, the sun was just coming up as we 
were creeping into our hiding place. We found every- 
thing as we had left it and was glad to get the food 
and the brandy. Dolores had come out of the dead 


A FILIPINO ROMANCE 


37 


faint that she had been in, but was delirious and kept 
moaning and muttering in an incoherent manner. We 
made her as comfortable as we could and gave her some 
brandy. Jasper washed and dressed the wound in my 
face and Arnold’s shoulder the best he could. The 
others lay down to sleep, but tired as I was, I could 
not close my eyes while Dolores was moaning so piti- 
fully. I sat down beside her and held her little hands 
in mine, poor little hands; they were hot like fire, and 
moved and fluttered like little wounded birds. Ah, 
senor, words can never tell how I suffered, how every 
moan that came from her lips tore at my heart like wild 
beasts. All day I sat by her side holding her hands 
and giving her little drops of brandy and water. Jasper 
roused up once or twice and offered to watch by her 
until I could get some sleep, but I could not leave her. 
I knew that the time was close at hand when I would 
have to give her up. I could even then feel the presence 
of the grim monster, death, hovering about us. It had 
stopped raining at midday, and the sun was shining 
brightly, as I could see when I peeped through the vines 
at the entrance of the cave, but just as it was sinking 
to rest behind the hills, and the birds were singing their 
evening songs, Dolores opened her eyes and looked at 
me, and whispered: 

“ ‘Thanks be to all the saints, I am in heaven at 
last. But when did you come, Lope, dear?’ 

“I clasped her to my heart and great tears fell from 
my eyes. I was so choked with emotion I could hardly 
speak. I told her she was not dead and in heaven, but 
that we both lived and were together again. Then the 


38 


THE GUIDES STORY 


memory of all the past misery she had undergone seemed 
to rush through her mind, and she cried out that she 
was a prisoner, that the savages had taken her captive. 
She begged me to save her. I told her she was no 
longer with the savages, but with me and in safety. 

“ ‘Sc you came,* she said, ‘in answer to my prayers. 
Oh! how I did pray to God to send you to me, and 
once I thought I heard your voice. But where is my 
father? Oh! where is he?’ 

“I could not tell her of the fate that had overtaken 
him; I could not tell her how the blood had drip[>ed 
down from his head as it set between the jaws of the 
idol, so I lied to her and told her that Senor Mendeze 
had escaped and was now beyond the reach of the 
savages. 

“ ‘But where are we, and how did we get here?’ 

“I explained to her how we escaped and traveled 
down the ravine in the storm, bringing her all the way 
in our arms. 

“ ‘Oh, my love,’ she murmured, ‘you have saved 
me, but, dear one, it will not be for long. I seem to 
hear God’s voice calling me even now.’ 

“ ‘Say not those words,’ I cried. I can not give 
you up. Pray to your God to leave you with me a 
little longer, but, if He will not, then I will go hence 
with you.’ 

“ ‘But, dear Lope,’ she said, ‘you can not go until 
God is ready to call you. Now listen, dear love, I am 
going from you, but remember, I am going to that place 
of bliss where no sorrow can enter in, and though my 
heart’s best love is thine, we must not rebel against the 


A FILIPINO ROMANCE 


39 


All-Father’s will, and if He calls me now, it will not 
be for all time that we part, for our souls are bound 
together in love, and life is love, and love can never die. 
1 he days may roll on into months, the months into years, 
and the years may be many, but the time will surely 
come when the broken ends of the thread of our destiny 
shedl be spliced together to be woven into the web of 
happiness. Be it years, or only a few days, this I say 
to you, dear one, live on in the way thy heart tells thee 
is best, and be ever ready so that when the call comes 
you can throw down the burden of life and follow on, 
and remember I have promised to come for you. And 
now, dear Lope, give me your promise to do even as I 
have asked you to do; promise that you will not try 

to take the life that God gave you, but to keep the 

memory of our love ever before you as a light that will 
pierce the gloom of thy sorrow.’ 

“I promised to do even as she bid me and I kissed 

her many times. I asked her how she came to fall into 

the hands of the savages. She said they had come up 
the river on a barge; they had decided not to camp and 
rest that last night, but pushed on expecting to reach 
San Luca by morning, but there had fallen a thick black 
fog over the river and they had passed San Luca with- 
out knowing it. When the sun came out and the fog 
lifted they saw that they were several miles beyond their 
destination. They had pushed into the shore to rest 
and get their breakfast, and all at once a native came 
down the river in a canoe and shouted to them to get out 
of there, for the bank of the river a little above them 
was swarming with wild men. They had made all haste 


40 


THE GUIDES STORY 


to get away but had hardly gotten away from the shore 
when a horde of the savages dashed out from among the 
bushes. A dozen or more of them plunged into the 
river and were soon clambering up over the sides of the 
barge. Her father had shot two of them and the barge 
men had used their paddles to beat them off, but they 
were soon overpowered and bound. The native in the 
canoe had gotten away and her father had hoped he 
would reach San Luca and send a party of Spanish 
soldiers after them. They had walked all day and she 
had become too tired to walk any longer. One of the 
savages had picked her up and slung her over his 
shoulder and she had fainted and knew nothing more 
until she came to herself in the grotto of the gods. She 
did not see her father again, but while she lay bound 
in the cave she thought she heard his voice, but she was 
in a kind of trance and soon everything faded from her 
mind and she knew no more until she awoke and found 
herself with me. . 

“ ‘And now, dear Lope,* she said, ‘I am so tired; 
lay me down and I will sleep, and do you too lay down 
and rest.* 

“My sleep was like the sleep of the dead, so worn 
out was L The day had dawned when Jasper roused 
me up. He said Arnold was out of his head, and 
was burning with fever. I got upon my feet but was 
dizzy and weak, and the wound in my cheek pained me. 
Dolores was lying very still and I thought she was sleep- 
ing and would be stronger when she awoke. We did what 
we could for Arnold, but he was in a high fever, and 
tossed and rolled about babbling of the grotto of the 


A FILIPINO ROMANCE 


41 


gods, the pit of flame and heads hung on spears, and 
he begged us to take his head down and give it back 
to him. My heart was heavy with fear lest he, my 
best friend, would also go from me. I was filled with 
remorse for letting my own trouble lead him into danger. 
I was so filled with grief, and the pain in my face so 
great, I could hardly keep upon my feet. I went over 
and sat down by Dolores; I took one of her hands in 
mine; it was cold — oh, so cold. I cried out to Jasper 
and raised her up in my arms, but she was dead. Her 
soul had taken wings and soared away to the heaven 
she was always talking of. Upon her dead face there 
was a look of peace, her lips were parted as though her 
soul had whispered a sweet farewell to me ere it took 
its flight to worlds unknown. My heart was filled with 
black despair, but I remembered the promise I had 
given her and it comforted me somewhat. We buried 
her there in the little cave, Jasper and I scooping out a 
shallow grave in the fine white sand with our hands. 
All that night I lay upon her grave and watered it with 
my tears. Poor Arnold had become so ill that we 
decided that Jasper should try to make his way to San 
Luca and get, if he could, some one to come back with 
him to help take Arnold on to that place. He had 
been gone for three days and I was there alone with 
my dead love and almost dead friend. The food and 
water was all gone. Arnold had begged for hours for 
a drink. I had made up my mind to go to the spring 
where we had filled the bottle on the morning we had 
found the cave behind the vines. I had parted the vines 
to reconnoiter before I left the cave; I heard a tramp- 


42 


THE GUIDES STORY 


ing of horses and then someone speaking in Spanish; 
the next moment I heard Jasper’s voice, brave old Jasper. 
He was there, and with him several Spanish soldiers and 
a medico (doctor) from San Luca. They had provis- 
ions and several stout ponies. They also had a cart for 
Arnold, but had left it down the ravine. They could 
not bring it any further over the rocks. The doctor went 
to work to revive Arnold. He gave him some medicine 
and dressed the wound in his shoulder; he also dressed 
the wound in my cheek. We then placed Arnold on a 
piece of canvas that they had brought with them and 
four of the soldiers carried him down to the cart. I 
lingered behind the rest a bit — I wanted to be alone when 
I bid a last farewell to the place where my lost love lay 
sleeping. There by her grave I vowed to live on as she 
wished me to do, but oh how hard it was to leave my 
darling lying there all alone. I called out her name 
until the cave echoed and re-echoed with my cries of 
Dolores! Dolores! Oh, my dear, lost love, Dolores. 

“Well, senor, I will not detain thee any longer. 
You have been very patient. I will only say that we 
reached San Luca and after we had rested and Arnold 
had become able to travel we started for Manila. We 
made better time going down the river than we did 
coming up, and on the ninth day we reached home. 

“Jasper, the grim old sailor, was little the worse for 
the adventure, but I had left the best part of me buried 
in the little cave with Dolores. Arnold was very ill by 
the time we reached home. He was a nervous wreck. 
Poison of the blood had set in from the wound in his 
shoulder, and he too, after days of suffering, went away 


A FILIPINO ROMANCE 


43 


from me, and I was desolate. Yes, they were both 
gone, the friend of my heart and the love of my life. 

I lived on and there came into my life some rays of 
sunshine, the love of my old uncle, and now you have 
struck the hands of friendship with me and I have 
opened my heart to you. I have showed you all the 
things that were buried therein, and now the time draws 
near when I shall go hence to my reward, and Dolores 
will come for me, the wall of mist will roll away, and 
we will dwell together in the land of light, the land 
where love never dies. And now, senor, I will bid you 
goodnight. I hope that you too may find the moon 
valley.” 

I clasped his hand and bid him goodnight. Just 
then call to quarters sounded and I hurried back to 
camp. Taps never sounded so mournful as they did 
that night upon the mountain, each note seemed like a 
voice of the far away whispering of love that never 
dies, or softly calling Dolores, Dolores ! And long 
after every one else in camp was sleeping, I lay looking 
at the moon thinking of all the things Lope had told me 
of, the cave where Dolores was buried, the shining path 
down which she came walking, the walls of mist, and 
the valley of moonlight, and when I did fall asleep it 
was only to dream of the grotto of the gods, the pit of 
fire, and altars decked out with flowers, and a whole 
regiment of grinning skulls went filing past me. I was 
glad when reveille sounded, and I awoke and saw the 
rosy streaks of dawn in the east, as the sun came up. 

All was bustle about the camp after a breakfast of 


44 


THE GUIDE'S STORY 


hardtack. The call of fall in was sounded, the com- 
mand forward march given, and down the mountain 
we went. After a day and night of hard marching we 
were once more in quarters at Biambang. I didn’t have 
a chance to talk to Lope again. I was taken sick in a 
few days and was sent down to the first reserve hospital 
at Manila. The battalion went down to Villicens, some 
of the boys came from there to the hospital and they 
told me Lope was dead. He had taken the smallpox 
just before they had left Biambang and had only lived 
a few days after taking sick. So, after all, his pre- 
monition was not at fault. 

I wondered if Dolores had come for him, walking 
down a shining path of light, holding out her little hands 
to him, the little hands that were to lead him to the 
land where love never dies. I believe she did. I have 
tried to give the story just as he told it to me. Poor old 
Lope, let us hope that for him the mist has rolled away 
forever. It has been said that there is no romance 
among the Hlipinos, but whoever heard of a sweeter 
romance than that of Lope and his lost Dolores. 




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